Method of separating sheets of glass from their baths.



PATENTEDJA'N. 15, 1907.

RATING SHEETS 0F GLASS PROM THEIR BATHS.

5., R. SPEER & G; H. HARV METHOD OF SEPA APPLICATION FILED NOV.23,1906.

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JAMES RAMSEY sPEEa, oririrrsnune', AND GEoneE' .H'. iiARvEY, er J GLENFIELD, PENNSYLV$ELL ASSIGNQRS BRQWNS'VILLE GLASS- COMPANY, or PENNSYLVANIA, A conroilA'rloN' OF PENNSYLVANIA.

.METHOD 0? st rtsmeesnms or cuss .rnom THEIR. was.

cah'on of rams Patent.

:Patented Jan. 1 5,

Anphcationfl a November 23, 1906, Serial No. 324,767;

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, JAMES RAusEY SPEEE, residing at Pittsburg, and GEORGE I H. HARVEY, residing at Glenfield, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPenns'yl- Vania, citizens of the United States, have -i n- I vented or discovered new and useful Imglass the sheet gradually changes from a plastic or ductile state at or near its junction .provements in Methods of.Separating Sheets :of Glass from Their Baths, of which thefol'-. f

lowing is a specification.

During the drawing of sheet-glass of inclosed or other'form from a bath ofmolten with the bath te a'hard brittle state at its junction with the bait. Hence the iriability of the glass at thebait necessitates quick and 'dextrous action in separating the sheet from the glass in the bath or drawing-receptacle.

By the practice commonly adopted the.

drawn lass is severed from the bath at the lace w ere it is lastic, and the usual means or severing the ot glass are shears or other metallic instruments, which when brought.

into. contact with the .sheets are liable to cause them to check or crack transversely of :tllB l ne of severance.

As the severed glass "cools the checks or cracks often continue alon the sheet, I rendering it practically wort ess or at least damaging it materially. 1 It is the object of the present invention not only to sever the glass, but also to keep it in proper condition for severance and at'the same time to prevent the checking or cracking of the glass or in case checks or cracks 4 have been formed to close the same.

We have discovered that when a sheet is I punctured and a flame is directed into the puncture the glass will part more" readily than when the flarne is directed against an unpunctured sheet and that if while using a 'tool to assist the flame to part the sheet checks or cracks begin to form they will be entirely closed by the fire-finishing action of the flame. We have discovered, however, hat-by our improved methodv there is but little or no tendency. of the sheets to check or crack, because the edge of the glass is softened in' advance of the action of the parting- 5 tool thereon and is subject to the action of the flame after the tool has passed, the-softened glass cooling gradually to form an unchecked fire-finished surface.

Refen'ingto the drawings which pany this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of'a paratus used in connection with our 'friiethod, the furnace-wall accomand'the drawing-pot being in vertical section;

and Fig 2, a view taken on the plane of severance with a modified severing-tool, the cylinder above the plane being omitted.

v In the drawings,.1, represents the u per portion of a furnace, and 2: thepot rom which the glass cylinder 3 has been drawn.

4 1s a puncture in the glass made by the tool 5 at the level atwhichit'is'desired to sever the glass. The puncturing-tool 5' pref erably has'an 'arrow head 6, shown in the puncture.

7 1s a p1pe connected, if preferred'f te the tool 5, the pipe being connected to a flexible.

gas-feeding pipe or hose 8. r"

After the glass sheet has been drawn to the desired length the attendant directs 'the flame issuing from the pipe --7 against the" from the puncture horizontally entirely across the cylinder.

In case the glass should become too cool or;

for any other reason the-flame should not be able to cut its way around the cylinder from the puncture it may be assisted by the arrowhead or other tool, which would engage the softenedglass and complete the severance,

In Fig. 2 we have shown a tool 5', which may be used to make the puncture and then assisttheflame to sever the remainingv part of the glass wall The tool 5' has a wide'arrowhead, its width being A preferably such that when thrust through the puncture and across the cylinder it will at one'thrust cut through the whole cylinder-that is, the width of the rec arrow-head ispreferahly equal to or greater than the diameter the cylinder. Of course a narrower tuel could he used and each well of the punmure could be acted on separately. I

We do not restrict UlHL-UlYQS to the form of tools shown or to any other limitation not llllpusffil by the prior art. ()ur invention is applicable to plane as Well t0 cylindrical sheets of glass.

l. The method of separating a sheet of glass from the rlrawing-rem ptncle, which consists in making a puncture iu the same and applying a flame-in the puncture.

2. The method cf separating: a sheet of glass from the clraWing-receptziele, which consists. in making a puncture in the slime, applying a flame in the puncture, and part ,mg the sheet beginning at the puncture 3. The meturul cl separating a sheet cl. glass frcm'tl' drawing-freeptacle. li'mliing' apuncture in the same, applying :1 flame to the puncture to Sever the remaining portion of the sheet, and lire-finishing the cent to the severed edge thereof.

4. The method of separating a sheet of glass from the di'mving-receptacle, makin l v t puncture 1n the same, applyirig a flame to the puncture to sever the remaining portion of 30 drawn glass to the softened edge of the glass, and fire- 4o finishing the edge of the severed glziss.

Signed at Pittshurg', Pennsylvania, this 12th (lay of November, 1906.

' JAMES RAMSEY SPEER.

GEORGE I-I. HARVEY.

Witnesses ELYA. Smxrcn, C. E. EGcERs.

glass adja- 25 glass at the 35 

